1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus, and particularly to technology for image correct ion using a sensor.
2. Background Art
Imaging apparatuses (such as wearable cameras) that users can wear at all times on their body, thereby keeping a life log, or continual record of their day-to-day life experiences, have started to appear in recent years. A wearable camera is a small device that can be worn on the body. Wearable cameras are worn with a particular site on the body as a basis for support, e.g. by attaching a string to the camera and hanging it from the user's neck. Wearable cameras have the special capability of capturing images and sound without being expressly operated by hand or otherwise.
When one or more subjects are photographed by a wearable camera, however, the subjects are sometimes photographed when the wearable camera is tilted. This is caused by the wearable camera's position being misaligned as a result of the user's movements. Yet if photography proceeds when the wearable camera's position is not appropriately maintained, the subjects end up being photographed in an inclined position, resulting in an extremely unpleasant image for the user.
One known conventional way of correcting an image captured in an inclined position to a non-inclined image is to install an acceleration sensor in the wearable camera, and by measuring gravitational acceleration via the acceleration sensor, to detect the rotation angle of the wearable camera as compared to the earth's axis, correcting the inclination of the captured image in accordance with the detected rotation angle (see Patent Document 1 identified below). Other prior art is recorded in Patent Documents 2 through 4.    Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2006-245726.    Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-207232.    Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2003-304486.    Patent Document 4: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2003-153072.